Self-closing faucet.



J. H. GLAUBBR.

vSELF CLOSING FAUGET. APPLICATION MLPD 12213.13, 1911.

Patented 'May 21,1912.

6222211 ego:

Josnrn H. GLAUBER, or CLEVELAND, oHIo. r

:SELF-CLOSING FAUCT.

specification of Letters' raamt.

Patented May 2 1, 1912;

'Application filed February 13, 1911. Serial No. 608,260.

r10 all whom it may concern.:

Be it known that I, JOSEPH Il. GLAU- BER, a citizen of thejUnited States, residing at Cleveland, in the county of Cuyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented certain v new and useful Improvements in Self-Closing Faucets, of which the following is a specification.

Thisinvention relates to improvements in self-closing faucets, rand the particular improvements embodied therein comprise the construction and arrangement of partssubstantially as hereinafter describedy Y and pointed out in the claims.

The chief object is to provide a durable and efficient faucet having a rotatable valve stem provided with a fixed but removable index button at its top, and which stem` is adapted to be lifted by a rotatable handle supported on balls riding between inclined runways at the top of the faucet bonnet. A plain disk is usedas a separator to promote `uniform riding of` these balls and prevent a separate loose ball from overriding into the next adjacent runway and to avoid tilting uplift of the valve stem. To further eliminate friction and bind in operations, I provide a` series of small balls between the handle and a bearing member adjust-ably mounted on the stem. The handle is also constructed to provide a hand grip on a higher plane than its middle port-ion to permit the index button to `occupy a more or less retired position therein. The index button is also provided with two or more like index characters radially, so that one` or the other will always appear upright at the front side of the faucet and be easily read whenever rotatable changes occur in ythe valve stem.' jV

In the accompanying-drawings, Figure 1 is a central vertical section of my invention, and Fig. 2 is a front elevation thereofpartly in section. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the faucet with the index` ring in section to disclose the lock nut and screw -at the top of the valve stem. Fig. 4 is a plan View of theV index button alone. Fig. 5 illustrates the locking screw, locknut, bearing washer and valve-stem in Agrouped but separate re-y lation. Fig. 6 is aplan view of the ball separator. Fig.v 7 is a side elevation ofthe upper portion of the faucet showingthe `handle rotated and raised and partly in sec tion to disclose the balllseparator, balls and- 'sides n for wrench engagement.

kstem within the faucet and serve their usual function of sealingk and self-seating the valve upon seat 4. Follower gland 10 is free to `slide within bonnet 8 to compress packing 9 upon each uplift of the valve, thereby operating more efficiently to seal the top of the faucet when the waterwayV is open. Y

Uplift of valve 6 is obtained by rotatable handle 14 having a series of reversely inclined ways 15 at its bottom corresponding to similar inclined grooves 16 in the top face of bonnet8, and a series of balls 13, two or more in number, are confined within these ways and grooves and serve to raise the said handle when rotated, a construction havinga bearing washer 17 adjustably affixed .thereto by lock nnt18 and locking` screw 19.y .An annular recess 20 in the top of handle 14. provides a race for a set of balls 21vupon which washer 17 is adapted `to rest and ride, washer17 having a fiatsided opening 22 to effect lockingengage` ment with the flat-'sided screw end 23 'of stem 7, see Fig. 5. Initial setting and after! adjustment of the parts to take up wear,"is obtained .by nut 18 having screw engagement with stem 7, said nut having attened A fixed locked positionv of nut 18 is maintained by screw 19 having fiat head 24 adapted to engage nut 18.when Vsaid screw isentered into the threaded open end of stem 7.l vA differ-V ence in pitch of thethreads on the screw and on the outside of the stem assures permanent locking between the-parts, although one part'may have a right-hand thread and the other a left-hand thread, if desired. y v

Balls 21Kare of material` advantage in pro- Vmoting freedom of. rotation of handle 1K4 and loo the handle is rotated, a feature to be desired as in this construction I mount an index button 25 on the end of the stem itself, or to be more accurate, on the top flat face of screw head 24. However, I also prefer to display two or more like designating words such as I-Iot, in diderent radial positions on the top face of button 25, whereby when rotation of stem 7 occurs one or the other o-f said words will still appear upright at the front or spout side of the faucet to be easily read. Button 25 is a separate removable part of the stem, however, and may also be inde` pendently set or adjusted to bring its reading matter in line with the spout or any other part o-f the faucet, and locking and fastening of said button in place upon screw head 24 is obtained by a screw ring 2G which has threaded engagement with the exterior threads 27 provided for this express purpose on nut 18.

Owing to differences in thicknesses of porcelain or other index buttons, and in view of the fact that nut 18 is adjustably mounted on stem 7 to take up wear at bearing washer 17 and at valve seat 4, screw ring 26 which is fixed on said nut, must necessarily be spaced apartfrom the top of handle 14. But a gap between the parts is unsightly and will also permit dirt to work into recess Q0 containing balls 21, all of which is overcome by providing a vertical Harige 28 an nularly about said recess, which iange is overlapped by a depending flange 29 on ring 26,-making a closed extensible joint. Button 9.5 and its ring 26 thus caps or crowns the stem and handle, the main body or hub of the handle being of larger diamete-r than the ring and approximately of the same size as bonnet 8. A convenient hand grip is afforded by the radial ball-tipped arms 30 or their equivalent which are preferably projected upwardly and outwardly from the middle portion 14 to bring their ball ends to a higher plane than the main body,-serving in effect to pocket the index button and its ring so that these parts will not unduly project into the palm of the hand when the handle is rotated. This will be seen to have advantage in that stem 7 and index button 25 may thus remain free and apart from the hand and will not be rotated when the handle is rotated. Other forms of handles having the above advantages may be used.

By means of a gravity disk 31 having openings 32 located at equi-distant radial points thereon, I propose to keep balls 13 apart at approximately uniform distances during their rotary travel uponY bonnet 8. However, a slight variation in travel of the respective balls is accommodated by mounting each ball loosely within its opening 32, which accommodation is increased when gravity disk 31 is carried around by the balls but not lifted to a higher plane-said" disk resting always on the top of the bonnet and the balls gradually rising through said openings and therefore having more room for lateral play therein. This variation within limits is desirable and advantageous in view of a possible difference in degree of the angles of the respective inclines; also in overcoming any irregularities in the grooved surfaces 15 and 16 respectively, or obstructions such as oil or dirt deposits between the parts.

Gravity disk 31 prevents two balls from occupying the same runway at the same time, but when the handle is rotated to a greater degree than is absolutely required all the balls will be jointly carried around by disk 31 to occupy the next runway-the valve closing in this movement. Joint movement of the balls from one runway to another brings them into new working relations which practically necessitate an accommodating play bet-Ween them and this is an added reason for the use of a gravity disk 31 of the form and construction shown.

What I claim is:

1. In a self-closing faucet, a valve having a stem, a rotatable handle and means to lift said stem having adjusting devices to delinitely relate said parts and take up wear, a separate index button, and adjustablemeans to detachably fasten said index button upon said adjusting devices.

2. In a self-closing faucet, a valve stem, a rotatable handle, an adjustable nut to secure said handle upon said stem, a removable index button and a screw-ring adjustably engaged with said nut to secure said index button in place in any adjusted position of said nut.

3. In a self-closing faucet, a valve stem, a rotatable handle, a nut adjustably mounted upon said stem to secure the handle rotatably thereto, a locking screw for said nut adjustably engaged with said stem, an index member adapted to seat upon said screw, and a screw ring engaged with said nut to fix said index member in any adjusted position thereon.

4. In a self-closing faucet, a valve stem, a rotatable handle, a bearing member for said handle locked against rotation upon said stem, a nut to adjustably lix said member upon said stem, a screw engaged with said stem having a head engaged with said nut, an index button seated upon said screwhead, and a screw ring to lock said button removably upon said nut.

5. In a self-closing faucet, a valve stem, a rotatable handle having a vertical annular flange at its top, a bearing member for the handle on Said stem, a nut to secure said member adj ustably upon said stem, means to lock said nut in adjusted position, an index b utton at the top of said stem, and a screwring to removably fasten said button in ferent "radial points therein adapted to loosely confine the balls, said disk being free ftofrotate without upward movement during rotative movement of said' handle and upsleeved in locking relation with said stem and havingfastening devices therefor to adjustably `secure it to said stem, and a cap crowning said handle and stem parts.

7 In a self-closing faucet, a valve having a stem, a handle free to revolve upon sai 1stem, 'a bonnet to supportsaid stem, said handle and bonnet having inclined surfaces y terminating in angular ridges, balls to ride upon said inclined surfaces, in combination with a gravity disk having openings at diftravel of said balls.

8. In a self-closing faucet, a valve having a stem, a spring to seat said valve, means to lift said valve comprising a rotatable handle and a bonnet having oppositely disposed insy Y clines and balls adapted to ride thereon, in combination with a gravity disk having openings at equi-distant radial points for the balls, said balls being free of said disk and adapted to move upwardly in respect thereto during their rotary travel over the said inclines.

9. In a self-closing faucet, a valve, a rota-1. table handle to open said valve, balls and inclined runways therefor to cause uplift of said handleand valve, in combination with a gravity disk having openings therein to loosely confine said balls with an accommodating movement for the purposes described.

In testimony whereof I aiiix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

JCSEPH I-I. GLAUBER.

Witnesses:

R. B. MOSER, F. C. Mussi-JN.

Copies of 'this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. 

